Valve for controlling gas



Feb. 3, 1953 E. H. MUELLER 2,627,417

VALVE FOR CONTROLLING GAS Filed Dec. 4, 1950 2 Sl-IEETS-SHEET 1 PIE l. Z 2

2 name, I

EINVENTOR. fr vm H. Mud/er ArraRNlI Y3 Patented Feb. 3, 1953 UNITED STATES TENT OFFICE FOR 'CONTRG'ILLING GAS.

Ervin H. Mueller, Grosse Pointe, Mich.

Application December 4, 1950, Serial No. 198,979

9 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a valve for-controlling the now of gaseous fuel to a burner and it has to do particularly with a valve so arranged and constructed that it can be manipulated or adjusted to at least three on positions, namely, full on, intermediate and simmer positions, to thus obtain a full or high gas name, an intermediate fiame, and a low or simmering name. This application is a continuation in partot application Serial No. 8,052 filed February 13, 1948, now abandoned.

The general object of the invention is to provide an improved valve construction by means of which a single adjustable member is capable of adjustment to adjustably vary the low and the intermediate conditions. In other words, the adjustment of this member may be made to -get the correct adjustment on the low or simmering flame and the intermediate flame, and

although there is but one adjustable member for this purpose, each frame may be adjusted independently of the 'other. The single adjustable member has a longitudinal movement-and a rotary movement and one: movement is used for adjusting one name and ithe other movement is used for adjusting the other flame and when,

for-example, the intermediate flame has been adjusted or more specifically, the gas for the intermediate flame has been adjusted; a further adjustment forthe simmer flame has, from :apractical standpoint, no apparent effect upon the intermediate adjustment.

Valves constructed in accordance with the in vention. are shown in the accompanying drawings.

In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is arplan view of a. valve.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken through a valve constructed in accordance with the inventionsubstantially on line. 2-2 of 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken. substantially on line. 33 of Fig. 2. showing particularly an intermediate and simmer adjustable member and the gas passages.

Fig. '4 is a sectional view taken substantially on lined fi of Fig. 2 showing some of the ad.- justable structure.

Fig. 5. is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 3 illustrating the gas passages for the simmer positions.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 6-6 of Fig. 3 showing structure *foradvlusting the intermediate position.

Fig. 7 is a viewpartly in sectionillustrating a modified form of the invention.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view showing the valve of Fig. '7- inanother position.

Fig. 9is a view'of the modified form showing the valve in still another position.

Fig. 10'is a sectional view taken on line lfl--l-0 of: Fig. 8 showing: the control member.

Fig. 11 is a view illustrating-the control member;

:shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the valve has a body I with. a tapered chamber 2 therein for receiving a tapered plug valve member 3 which has a stem 4 which projects through a cap 5. The stem 4 is hollow as shown at t and has an end portion as at 1 adapted to receive an operating handle (not shown). A coiled spring It acts upon the valve member to keep it seated and reacts against the cap. The spring may react againsta combination of washer elements genorally indicated at H which may be arranged to audibly indicate certain valve positions but this washer arrangement is aside from the ine vention and may vary in construction and no further detail description need be made thereof.

The body has a threaded extension l3 adapted to be screw threaded into a manifold or supply pipe, which extension provides an inlet passage l4 and it has a threaded extension 45 which provides an outlet passage it. A hood I! is ad'justably mounted on the extension 15 and is provided with an outlet orifice it. The extension 15 carries a control member with a tapered andpointed end It for throttling the outlet orifice and the adjustment is made by adjusting the hood.

The valve member 3 is provided with an axial passage 22 for the now of gas into the outlet passage l6 and a full on port 23 adapted to be placed into and out of registry with the inlet I4. The valve is shown in full on position in Figs. 2, 3 and 4. Between the hollow part 6 of the stem and the passage 22, the valve member, including a part of the stem and a part of the plug body, is provided with a bore 24. The valve member is provided with a passage 26 which has preferably, an enlarged end portion 21, and. the passage 2% communicates into the bore 24 as shown in Fig. 3. The valve member has another passage 26 with an enlarged end 29.

The passage 28 communicates into the bore at apoint axially spaced from the point where the passage 26 communicates into the bore.

In the turning of the valve member the port 23 and the enlarged portions 27 and 29 which may, for convenience, be termed ports, are arranged to register with the inlet passage It in three positions of the valve for the flow of gas therethrough. Of course, the valve may be turned to off position when the solid portion of the valve member closes the passage M. As. shown in, Fig. 4,,the valve is in full on position; thegas may flow through the port 23 and thence through position, the gas flowing through the passages 28 and 26 flows into the bore 26 and thence through the passage 22 and out through the orifice H8. The single control member is mounted partially in the stem and partially in the bore and it is constructed and arranged to control both of the passages 26 and 28.

This control member, which is generally indicated at 32, has a threaded portion 33 which is threaded in the hollow part of the stem and is formed as at 3 5, so that it may be engaged by a tool for the turning of the same. This tool may be a small screw driver. The interior of the hollow stem, is, of course, threaded for this purpose, as indicated and the threads provide an adequate gas seal.

7 The member 32 has a cylindrical extension 35 which nicely fits into the bore 2? and this extension is hollow for a portion of its length, as indicated at 35 thus providing a passage. The end of the hollow portion opens into the passage 22. The cylindrical part is cut away as by having a slot milled therein, as shown at it]. This milled slot is disposed in the vicinity of the end of the passage 26 which opens into the bore 26 and has one edge, such as the edge ll, for cooperation with the end of the passage 26 to meter the same as will presently be observed. The remaining metal of the member at the location of the slot as is provided with a groove 42. This groove is such as to provide adequate metal 43 for connecting the cylindrical portions on opposite sides of the slot "56.

The end of the cylindrical section 35 is provided with a plurality of lengthwise extending slots 45. As shown in Fig. there are six of these slots which may be formed by three milling operations.

These slots have substantial axial extent and are positioned in the vicinity of the passage 28.

It will be seen how the control member adjustably throttles the-passage 26 to thereby variably control the flow of gas through the valve in the intermediate position. The edge 4| overlaps the passage 26 and by turning the member on its screw threads, the edge 41 may be shifted axially as desired to completely open the passage 28 or to restrict the same to the extent desired. Accordingly, it will be observed that the intermediate position is controlled by the axial position of the side M of the slot. In makin this adjustment, the slot lil allows some gas to flow through the passage 2% through the slot 46 and into the interior of the control member so that the gas is at no time completely closed oif. The passage 26 is not to be throttled by the action of the groove 42.

The passage 28 for the simmering position is throttled by one of the slots 45. A slot may be in complete register with the passage 28 as shown in Fig. 5 or may be slightly out of register therewith if it is desired to reduce the effective gas flow passage.

In making an adjustment the valve may be manipulated so that the port 21 registers with the passage M. This is the intermediate position.

Now, the control. member 32 is turned so that it is advanced or retracted on its screw threads until a desired flame condition is attained as a result of a proper throttling position of the side or edge M relative to the passage 26. Now, the valve is turned until the port 29 is in register with the inlet passage M and the simmer position is adjusted by a very slight rotary movement of the control member to position one of the slots 45 with respect to the passage 28 to obtain a desired low or simmering flame. This rotary movement is so slight, because there are numerous slots 45 that the axial shift of the member 32 is negligible. As a result, there is no visible variation in the previously made adjustment for the intermediate flame. This can probably be appreciated by reference to the following example; if the threads on the member 32 are forty threads to the inch, it requires one complete revolution of the control member to shift it of an inch. Since there are six slots 35, the control member does not have to be moved more than about of a revolution from the maximum to the minimum adjustment for the simmer positions; this represents a maximum axial movement of the control member of of an inch which, from a practical standpoint, is ineffective on the previously made adjustment of the position of the edge ti with respect to the port 25.

In the modified form the body of the valve and the rotary valve member and other parts are essentially the same as those heretofore described.- and like parts have the same reference characters applied thereto. The valve cap- 5a is of different construction but such construction is not pertinent to the invention.

In this form the stem is hollow as at 50 and it opens into the passage 22 through an internally threaded portion or bore 5! The valve member has the main port 23 shown in registry with the inlet passage M in Fig. 7, this being the full on position. About from the main port 23 the valve member has a passage 52 with an enlarged end 53. This passage and end may be termed a port and is arranged to register with the inlet passage 14 and the bore 5i as shown in Fig. 8. This is the intermediate position of the valve. The valve member has another passage 54' with an enlarged end 55 for registration with the inlet port id and the passage as communicates into the bore 5i as shown in Fig. 9. The passage 54-45 may be positioned about 90 from the passage 5253.

The control member is shown in Fig. 11 at 57. It is externally threaded and is engaged with the internal threads in the bore 5i. It is formed at one end as at 58 for the reception of a tool for the turning of the same. The opposite end of the control member has an extension Bfl which is fiattened, preferably on opposite sides, as indicated in Fig. 10. These flattened surfaces constitute slots and therefore provide clearances and passages in the bore 5! as shown in Fig. 8.

The control member also has an axial bore or passage (52 and near the inner end of this bore 62 the control member is provided with a circumferential groove 63. A port 54 is formed in the thus ensmalled portion of the control member at the location of the groove 53. This passage may be a drilled hole passing completely through the control member and thus communicates with the bore 62. When this control member is in position as shown particularly in Figs. 8 and 9, the extension as is at the location of the passage 52 while the circumferential groove 63 is at the location assarm (if "the passage 54. Inthis form, the passage =52. is for an intermediate of gas while the pass'age'il i-o r a llivver or simmer now of gas.

The adjustment "is made by turning the control member on its threads thus advancing it or retracting i-t axially. the control member is advanced or retracted, the circumferential groove 63 varied in positionrelative to the passage 54 so that one wall or the other of tnecircumrerential groove throttles the passage 54 at the locatioh where it "opens into the bore 5|. Thus, the amount of gas from a simmer flame may be adjusted. The intermediate name may be acihsted by a partial rotation of the control membe! to cause the flattened extension to partially cover the passage 52 or to completely uncover the passage 52 as desired to regulate the flow of gas for the intermediate flame. As explainedabove, the-slight axial movement incident to the last mentioned adjustment for the intermediate name has practically no affect upon the longitudinal-simmer adjustment. Thegasfor the simmer "flame flows through the enlarged opening 5'3, the passagesa, the-circumferential groove 63, the transverse port 66 and then through the axial passage 6-2 into the main valve passage l l. The gas for the intermediate flame flows through the passage 52- 53 and thence through the passage provided by the flattened sides of extension-65 into the main valve passage 22. In both forms the control member has relieved portions constituted-bythe slots 45 and by the flattened portions of theex tension '69, with intervening peripheral portions and the peripheral portions may be caused to cover the corresponding inlet passage to "the desired extent.

I claim:

-1. A valve for-the control of fuel gas for a gas burner comprising, a body having an inlet and an outlet, a valve member rotatably mounted in the body and having an outl'et'passage communicating with the outlet, said Valve member having three passages for connecting the said inlet and outlet, through said outlet passage, in diiferent rotary positions of the valve member for full, intermediate and simmer flames at the burner, said valve member having a bore therein, the intermediate and simmer 'passageways connecting into the bore, a control member mount-earn the valveinember on threads and having a hollow part therein with the hollow part communicating with said outlet passage, the control member having a slot therein cutting into the hollow part, one wall of-the slot being arranged to meter the intermediate passage with axial adjustment of the control memberas it is turned on its threads, the control member having a plurality of axially extending slots arranged so that each slot may meter the 'simmer'passa'ge in various positions of longitudinal adjustment of the control member by an increment of rotary adjustment of the control member.

2. Avalve for the control of fuel g'asfo'r a gas burner comprising, a body having ani'nlet and an outlet, a valve member rotatably mounted in the body and having an outlet passage communicating with the outlet, said valve member having three passages for connecting the said inlet and outlet, through said outlet passage, indifferent rotary positions of the valve member for full, intermediate and simmer flames at the burner, said valve member having a bore therein, the intermediate and simmer'passageways connecting into the bore, acontrol member mounted in the valve member on threads and having a, hollow iii) part therein with the hollow par-t communicating with said outletpassage, the controlmember having a slot therein cutting into the hollow part, one wall of the slot being arranged to motor the intermediate passage with axial adjustment of the control member as it is turned on its threads, the control member having a plurality of axially extending slots arranged so that each slot may meter the simmer passage in various positions of longitudinal adjustment of the control member by an increment of rotary adjustment of the control'inember, and a groove in the control member with ends communicating into the slot for the passage of gasfrom the intermediate passageinto the hollow part of the control member as it is rotatably adjusted.

3. In a valve for the control of the-flow of fuel gas to a gas burner, a valve body havin an inlet and an outlet, a valve member rotatable in the valve body, said valve member having a bore therein, a passage in the valve member having an end arranged to be "registered with the said inlet, a second passage arranged to be registered with said inlet, said passages communicating with the bore in difierent axial positions, a control member mounted on threads in the valve member and havin an element situated in said bore, said element being hollow and communicating with said outlet, said element having a transverse slot therein which extends into the hollow portion thereof arranged to receive gas from the nrst mentioned passage, said element having a pmrality of longitudinal slots connecting into the bore and arranged to receive gas from'thesecond mentioned passageway, said control member-bein axially adjustable by rotary movement on its threads for causing the transverse slot "to meter the first mentioned passageway incident to its longitudinal position, any one of the longitudinal slots adapted to register with and meter the second passageway incident to the rotary position of said control member.

4. In a valve for the control of the flow of fuel gas to a gas burner, a valve body-having an inlet and an outlet, a valve member rotatable in the valve body, said valve member having a bore therein, a passage in the valve 'member having an end arranged to be registered with the said inlet, a second passage arranged to be registered withsaid inlet, said' passag'es communicating'with the bore in different axial positions, a. control member mounted on threadsin the v alvememb'er and having an element situated in said bore, said element being hollow and communicating with said outlet, said element having a transverse slot therein which extends into the hollow portion thereof arranged to receive gas from the first mentioned passage, said element having a plurality of longitudinal slots connecting into the bore and arranged to receive gas from the second mentioned passageway, said control member being axially adjustable by rotary movement on its threads for causing the transverse slot to meter the first mentioned passageway incident toits longitudinal position, any one of the lon'gttudinal slots adapted to register with and meter the second passageway incident to the rotary position of said control member, said longitudinal slots being of such length as 'to 'so meter the second passage in any longitudinal position "or the control member in which the transverseslot meters the first mentioned passage.

"5. In a valve for the control of the now of fuelgas to a gas burner, a valve body having aninlet and an outlet, a valve member rotatable in the valve body, said valve member having a bore therein, a passage in the valve member having an end arranged to be registered with the said inlet, a second passage arranged to be registered with said inlet, said passages communicating with the borev in different axial positions, a control member mounted on threads in the valve member and lying in the bore, said control member having an axial passage communicating with said outlet and having a circumferentially extending groove and a port connectin the groove and the axial passage, the circumferentially extending groove being in position to receive gas from one of said passages in the valve member and to meter the same upon axial adjustment of the control member on its threads, said control member having a portion at the location of the other of said passages in the valve member, said portion being formed to provide a passage in communication with said outlet and arranged to be adjustably registered with said other passage in the valve member to receive gas therefrom and to meter the same upon rotary adjustment of the control member.

6. In a valve for the control of the flow of fuel gas to a gas burner, a valve body having an inlet and an outlet, a valve member rotatable in the valve body, said valve member having a bore therein, a passage in the valve member having an end arranged to be registered with the said inlet, a second passage arranged to be registered with said inlet, said passages communicating with the bore in different axial positions, a control member mounted on threads in the valve member and lying in the bore, said control member having an axial passage communicating with said outlet and having a circumferentially extending groove and a port connecting the groove and the axial passage, the circumferentially extending groove being in position to receive gas from one of said passages in the valve member and to meter the same upon axial adjustment of the control member on its threads, said control member having a portion at the location of the other of said passages in the valve member, said portion being formed to provide a passag in communication with said outlet and arranged to be adjustably registered with said other passage in the valve member to receive gas therefrom and to meter the same upon rotary adjustment of the control member, the passage provided by said portion of the control member being of such length as to meter the corresponding passage in the valve member in any longitudinal position of the control member in which the circumferential groove meters its corresponding passage in the valve member. 7

'7. In a valve for the control of the flow of fuel gas to a gas burner, a valve body having an inlet and an outlet, a valve member rotatable in the valve body, said valve member having a bore therein, a passage in the valve member having an end arranged to be registered with the said inlet, a second passage arranged to be registered with said inlet, said passages communicating with the bore in different axial positions, a control member mounted on threads in the valve member and lying in the bore, said control member having an axial passage communicating with said outlet and having a circumferentially extending groove and a port connecting the groove and the axial passage, the circumferentially extending groove being in position to receive gas from one of said passages in the valve member and to meter the same upon axial adjustment of the control member on its threads, said control member having a portion at the location of the other of said passages in the valve member, said portion being formed to provide a plurality of passages in communication with said outlet which are arranged to be adjustably registered with said other passage in the valve member to receive gas therefrom and to meter the same upon rotary adjustment of the valve.

8. In a valve for the control of the flow of fuel gas to a gas burner, a valve body having an inlet and an outlet, a valve member rotatable in the valve body, said valve member having a bore therein, a passage in the valve member having an end arranged to be registered with the said inlet, a second passage arranged to be registered with said inlet, said passages communicating with the bore in diiferent axial positions, a control member mounted on threads in the valve member and lying in the bore, said control member having an axial passage communicating with said outlet and having a circumferentially extending groove and a port connecting the groove and the axial passage, the circumferentially extending groove being in position to receive gas from one of said passages in the valve member and to meter the same upon axial adjustment of the control member on its threads, said control member having a portion at the location of the other of said passages in the valve member, said portion being formed with at least one flat side to provide a passage in communication with said outlet and which passage may be adjustably registered with said other passage in the valve memher to receive gas therefrom and to meter the same upon rotary adjustment of the valve member.

9. In a valve for the control of the flow of fuel gas to a gas burner, a valve body having an inlet and an outlet, a valve member rotatable in the valve body, said valve member having a bore therein, a passage in the valve member having an end arranged to be registered with the said inlet, a second passage arranged to be registered with said inlet, said passages communicating with the bore in different axial positions, a control member mounted on threads in the valve member and lying in the bore, said control member having an axial passage communicating with said outlet and having a circumferentially extending groove and a port connecting the groove and the axial passage, the circumferentially ex- ERVIN H. MUELLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,101,356 Zak Dec. 7, 1937 2,257,886 Mueller Oct. '7, 1941 2,262,703 Stuckerholt Nov. 11, 1941 

